Eurobites: Aggrieved Google workers stage London walkout

In related news, Microsoft, another tech giant laying off thousands of its workers, has abandoned plans for a new office complex in London. As Bloomberg reports, Microsoft's office leases in the nearby town of Reading expire in 2026, so the planned London office had been expected to take up the slack. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella informed staff in January that he planned to cut 4.5% of the workforce by the end of March. (See Microsoft CEO gushes about AI as he prepares to ax 10,000 jobs.)

Liquid Intelligent Technologies has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Zambian government in which it commits to a new data center intended to cope with the country's ever-increasing data needs. Liquid will also work with the government to offer public and private cloud services, as well as cybersecurity systems to bolster the digitization of government services.

MFS Africa, a digital payments company, has agreed a deal with Nigeria's Access Bank, which will allow it to expand its AccessAfrica money transfer service, enabling outward remittances from Kenya and Nigeria. MFS Africa claims to reach more than 410 million mobile money wallets in over 35 countries.

Company bosses in the UK are more likely than their counterparts in other major European countries to prioritize AI and machine learning capabilities, with 40% listing in the top three things on their to-do list. This was one of the findings from a new survey carried out by Colt Technology Services, which surveyed around 1,000 decision-makers in 12 countries across Europe and Asia. Across the board, 35% of respondents cited moving to the cloud as their most pressing concern.

The Branch Association of Bulgarian Telecommunications Operators (BABTO) has asked the Bulgarian Communications Regulatory Commission to bind mobile operators' licenses for new 5G frequencies with an obligation for them to open their networks to alternative operators. Neven Dilkov, CEO of BABTO member Neterra, made the request during a conference in Croatia this week. Currently, says Neterra, Bulgaria's three mobile network operators do not allow other companies to access their networks.

Access all arias: Finnish operator Elisa joined forces with Nokia on a 5G network that allowed Helsinki-based fans of operatic superstar Andrea Bocelli to enjoy his concert in Tampere remotely through the magic of virtual reality headsets and lashings of connectivity. The high-quality 8K video from the 360 cameras and stereo audio were transmitted from the concert arena in "almost" real time over Elisa's mmWave-based 5G network.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading